Post and wire-fence construction.



P. P. PROST.' POST AND WIRE FENCE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.11, 1908.

Patented June 28, 1910.

IPABMENAS F. FROST, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POST AND WIRE-FENCE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1910.

Application filed. December 11, 1908. Serial No. 466,947.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PARMENAS F. FRosr, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Post and Wire-Fence Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to metal posts and means for attaching wires, or wire-fence fabric thereto; and my primary object is to provide an improved post and fence-attaching devices, capable of being produced very cheaply and enabling fences to be rapidly and securely erected in an economical manner.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure 1 represents a broken elevational view of a wire fence in process of construction in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a similar view after completion of the operation of securing the fence-fabric to the post; Fig. 3, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a horizontal section taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 2-and showing a device for vertically stretching the fence and securing the lowermost wire thereof; Fig. 5, a perspective view of a wedge forming part of the device shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a perspective view of a sleeve or slide forming part of the device shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 8 of Fig. 2.

In the construction illustrated, A represents a fence-post comprising an angle-bar cut to desired length; B, awire-fence fabric; G, a clip connecting the upper strand-wire of the fabric with the top portion of the post; D, a device serving to vertically stretch the fabric and to secure the lowermost strand-wire to the post; and E, a clip for securing intermediate strand-wires to the post.

The post A preferably comprises a straight, plain angle-bar cut to the desired length, whereby the post may be produced at very moderate cost. The fence-fabric B, shown, comprises the usual strand-wires l and stay-wires 2. The post is preferably so set with relation to the fabric that one flange 3 thereof lies adjacent to the fabric, while the other flange, 4, thereof, projects away from the fabric. a j

The clip C may comprise a malleable casting, or may be formed of sheet-metal. It comprises an up-turned hook 5 whose shank is bent rearwardly and downwardly to form a reverse hook 7 which engages the upper end of the flange 3 of the post. As thus formed, the clip has a channel 8 which receives the top-strand-wire and a channel 9 which receives the post-flange 8.

The device D forms a combination earthbearing and wire-tensioning and securing device. It comprises a slide 10 shaped to conform with and engage the flanges of the post, said slide being equipped near its upper end with a down-turned hook 11, and a wedge 12 adapted to secure the slide or sleeve 10 against vertical movement with relation to the post after the fence has been vertically tensioned by driving the slide into the earth. The slide 10 is of the general form of an angle having flanges 13 and 14 which embrace the flanges 3 and 4, respectively, of the post, the flange 13 carrying the down-turned hook 11. At their free vertical edges the flanges 13 and 14 are provided with relatively short inturned flanges 15, which project past the edges of the flanges 3 and 4 of the post and are equipped with inturned flanges or lugs 16. The sleeve, or slide, is equipped with earthengaging fins, or bearings, 17 which lie in a plane parallel with the plane of the flange 18, and taper somewhat from top to bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, the tapering edges having a knife-edge formation to facilitate the operation of driving the sleeve into the earth. The wedge 12 is of angular formation, having flanges 18 and 19 adapted to lie, respectively, adjacent to the flanges 3 and 4 of the post. The wedge is provided with a top member, or bearing, 20 which lies in a horizontal plane and serves as a means for receiving blows in the operation of driving the wedge into the earth. The edges 21 of the flanges 18 and 19 taper slightly in a downward direction. The member 10, as described, has vertical channels 22 of suflicient width to receive the flanges of the post and the flanges of the wedge 12, the wedge 12 being of suitable size to enable it to lie within the flanges of the post. The flanges 18 and 19 of the wedge project, when the wedge is in position, substantially flush with the edges of the post, the upper portions of the flanges 18 and 19, however, projecting slightly past the edges of the post-flanges, so "when the wedge is driven home, awedging con nection will occur between the flanges of the post and the opposed flanges 15 of the slide or sleeve. The angular sleeve, or slide, 10,

may be of cast 'metal, and the sameistrue of the wedge 12.

The manner of use will be readily underpost, the wedge 12 is then dropped into position in the sleeve and the members are-driven into the earth, the final portion of the driving action exerted upon the wedge occurring afterthe sleeve has been driven down the desired distance to give the requisite stretch to the fence fabric. It will be observed that the fins 17 of the sleeve 10 afford a comparatively wide bearing in the earth parallel with the plane of the fence, thus providing against the fence being bent over, as might otherwise occur from live stock rubbing against the fence or attempting to reach over it.

While it is preferred to employ the wedge 12 as a means for securing the angular sleeve 10 with relation to the post, it is feasible toprovide other means for securing the same'result; or, the friction between the sleeve and the post and between the sleeve and the earth maybe depended upon to hold the sleeve in position after it has been driven down to stretch the fence fabric. If desired, the flange 3may be nicked with a cold chisel above themember 10, as indicated in Fig. 2, thereby forming a small fin 28 suificient to=preventithe sleeve from slipping upwardly with relation to the post. This expedient may be resorted to when it is desired to economize by omitting the use ofthewedge 12. v

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no undue limitation should be understood therefrom.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with an angle-form post and afence fabric, of means for securing the upper'portion of the fabric to the post, an angle-form slide having flanges embracing the outer-surfaces of theflanges of the post and equipped with inturnedflanges lying adjacent to the edges ofthe flanges of the post, inturned flanges carried by said last-named flanges, and an angle-form wedge having flanges lying adjacent to the inner surfaces of the flanges of the post and having its edge portions received between the flanges of the post and the last-named flanges of said slide. v

-2. The combination with a-post and fencefabric, of a combinationearth-bearing and wire-securing device comprising a member 'slidably connected with the lower portion of the post and equipped with fins adapted to engage the earth, and equipped also with wire-engaging means.

3. The combination ofa-post, and a-member slidably connected therewith and adapted to be driven into the earth after the :post has been erected, said member equipped with wire-engaging means.

4. A combination slide and bearing for postsadapted to be driven into the earth, comprising an angle-form elongated member equipped with flanges for engaging the flanges of the post, equipped also with fins for engaging the earth, and equipped also with a hook for engaging a strand-wire.

5. A slide adapted for connection with a post and-to be driven intotheearth to serve in the vertical tensioning of the fence-fa-bric, said slide comprising an elongated member having flanges adapted to embrace the flanges of an angle-form post, one ofsaid flanges having its outer surface equipped with a down-turned hook.

'PARMENAS F. FROST.

In presence of C. FRANK DOEBLER, ARTHUR GARFIELD FUGHSOZ. 

